Kettenkrad Rebuild page 1

Paul bought this NSU Kettenkrad in a partially restored state. The following pictures show a number of stages he has gone through to finish the job.

These first shots show the controls used to drive an steer the vehicle. The steering gear on a Kettenkrad looks like a normal motorcycle handlebar and front wheel but there are a couple of connecting rods that join the front suspension to levers that operate brakes on the tracks. The steering is therefore partially handled by the front wheel, but mainly by applying brakes to one track or the other in a similar way to any other tracked vehicle. The rear cooling fan is a rarity. This one was built up from two fans, using the best from both, and a bit of "spare" metal from a local company.

The first of the pictures shows the front end before fitting the front forks and steering mechanism. The second and third pictures show the front end fitted, and the operating arms connected to the steering brakes on the tracks. The front wheel looks a little odd. This is because the forks were fitted and adjusted with the engine out of the vehicle. Once the engine was put back in, the rear end squatted down and lifted the front wheel off the ground. Back to the drawing board.

The first and middle picture shows the tracks being fitted, (note the left hand track stretched out before fitting). The last picture is of the engine compartment prior to a lick of paint.

A lick of paint is applied and finally driven out for a run around the fields. Once completed it is time to show it off. During the Chipping Steam Fair in May 2004, it proved a handy run around in the slightly wet and muddy fields of the show site.